Boarding-clamp.



PATENTED MAR; 21, 1905.

H. S. HOLGOMBE.

BOAR DING CLAMP.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 13,1904.

Nrrn STATES Patented March 21, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

BOARDING-CLAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent N 0. 785,491, dated March 21, 1905.

Application filed August 13,1904. Serial No. 2Z0,64.

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HALSEY STARR HOL- COMBE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Granby, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented a new and useful Boarding-Clamp, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in clamping devices, and particularly to clamps used as floor-sets for the purpose of assisting in boarding the sides of buildings and for other kinds of joiners work, in which I employ a lever provided at one end with holding means, a block at the end of an arm, which arm is pivotally attached to said lever intermediate of its ends, and a pawl in pivotal connection with said arm and adapted to engage and disengage the lever, all as hereinafter set forth; and the object of my invention is to provide a simple, durable, efficient, and easilyoperated device whereby floor-boards, sheathing, and the like may be quickly and firmly pressed into position and there held until permanently secured.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which is entirely practicable and at the same time comparatively inexpensive. Furthermore, it is light and compact in comparison with many other devices for a similar purpose.

I attain these objects by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which is a side view, with parts broken out, of my clamp, showing it in full lines in the act of pressing and holding a board in place and in dotted lines in a position which it may assume before being brought into contact with the board to be acted upon.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A lever a is slotted vertically near one end to receive a spike I), which is held firmly in place by means of a set-screw c, threaded into said lever longitudinally and adapted to bear against the adjacent edge of said spike. In case it is desired to remove the spike I) from the lever a on account of the breaking of said spike or for any other reason all that it is necessary to do is to loosen the set-screw 0,

when the spike can be taken out and the same or another one subsequently returned to place.

Some suitable substitute for the spike and set-screw might be employed with the other features of this invention as a holding means for the clamp.

One end of an arm (Z is pivoted at e to the lever a, and a block f is fastened to the free end of said arm by means of a bolt g and a nut It, This block may be provided in one side with a groove f, adapted to receive the tongue on apiece of matched flooring or boarding and on the opposite side with a tongue f, adapted to enter the groove in such a piece of flooring or boarding. The grooved side of the block is the one generally employed, regardless of the kind of board with which the device is to be used; but when the grooved edge of a board is presented the side of said block having the tonguef may be employed, if desired. By loosening the nut 71, the block f can be turned upon the bolt g to bring either side into operative position, or said nut may be allowed to remain loose permanently, so as to permit said block to move on said bolt, and thereby adjust itself to the board that is, to lie parallel therewithin the event that the clamp should not be arranged so that the lever (4 stands exactly at right angles to the board.

An eyebolt 2 has its shank inserted from above downward through an opening in the arm cl and is firmly fastened to said arm by a nut j. The lower end of a pawl k is pivoted at Z to the eyebolt d and passes upward through a slot a in the lever a. A pin or passes transversely through the slot (4 and the sides thereof, being located near the forward end of said slot.

The operation of my boarding-clamp is as follows: In the first place the sharp end of the spike b is forced into a joist or other timber or support, (the heel of the workman, a mallet, or other implement being used to drive said spike into the wood,) the distance between the spike and the board to be pressed into place being such that when the pawl 7c is thrown back against the rear end of the slot (0' with its teeth clear of the pin m, the lever can be raised to bring said pin well up in the vicinity of the upper teeth k and at the same time cause the block f to be located against the board. Now by pressing down on the free end of the lever a the spike 6 serves as a fulcrum, and the block f is forced by the lever and the arm (Z hard against the board, which latter is thereby forced into place. The downward movement of the lever a carries the pin m down past the teeth 70, and when the desired pressure has been applied to the board the pawl 7'7 is swung forward to permit the last tooth is, which is adjacent said pin, to hook over the same, when the parts are locked against the movement necessary to release the board, which latter can be held by the clamp indefinitely, and while being held thereby is secured with nails in the usual manner.

To disconnect the clamp, bear down on the free end of the lever a sufficiently to release the pawl k and permit it to be thrown back until the tooth is, which was in engagement with the pin m, has cleared the same, when the lever can be raised to relax the block f, and then the spike Z) is withdrawn.

Modifications in the pivotal connections between the parts may be made, together with variations in shape and size, without departing from the nature of my invention.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in a boarding-clamp, with a lever provided at one end with holding means,of an arm pivoted to said lever forward of such means, means at the free end of said arm adapted to bear against a board, and a pawl pivotally connected with the arm and adapted to engage and disengage the lever.

2. The combination, in a boarding-clamp, with a lever provided at one end with holding means, of an arm pivoted to said lever forward of such means, a block at the free terminal of said arm, and a pawl pivotally connected with the arm and adapted to engage and disengage the lever.

3. The combination, in a boarding-clamp, with a lever provided at one end with holding means, of an arm pivoted to said lever forward of such means, an adjustable block fastened to the free terminal of said arm, and a pawl pivotally connected with the arm and adapted to engage and disengage the lever.

4. The combination, in a boarding-clamp, with a lever provided at one end with holding means and having a pawl-slot therein and a pin in said slot, of an arm pivoted at one end between the holding means and pawl-slot and adapted at the other end to bear against a board, and a pawl in pivotal connection with said arm and rising through the slot in the lever, the teeth on said pawl being within engaging distance of said pin.

5. The combination, in a boarding-clamp, of a lever, a spike in one terminal of said lever, a set-screw adapted to hold and release said spike, an arm pivoted at one end to said lever forward of said spike and adapted at the other end to engage a board, and a pawl in pivotal connection with said arm and adapted to engage and release the lever.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HALSEY STARR HOLCOMBE.

' Witnesses:

J. M. STERNS, F. A. CUTTER. 

